ABOUT THIS ALBUM

Album Notes

Dancing on the Wind is Shoshana’s second piano solo album and her first as a composer. Inspired by the solo piano community, she starting composing after a twenty-five year hiatus. The music she writes is inspired by life experiences, people and emotions. Shoshana’s playing has been described as “graceful and flowing” and “refined and elegant”. Her music stirs the heart and touches the soul.

I recently had the pleasure of listening to Shoshana Michel’s second release, “Dancing on the Wind.” Then I listened to it again, and again, and again. Shoshana Michel is a gifted pianist and composer, and it shows on this album.“Dancing on the Wind” is carefully crafted, and full of tender, calming melodies. She plays with such elegance. Much of the album gives me a sense of deep sorrow, but it’s expressed so beautifully. The entire album flows smoothly from one piece to the other, so I recommend listening to the entire collection. Still, in my opinion “When Leaves Dance” and “Wishing for You” are two of my favorites. “When Leaves Dance” has a melody that stays with you and is quite comforting. It’s so gentle and yet it captures your attention and keeps it throughout the piece. “Wishing for You” provides the listener with a sense of optimism that stands out from the rest of the album. It showcases Michel’s ability to bring out different emotions in her music.“Dancing On the Wind” is a wonderful collection of songs, and it brings me a great sense of tranquility when I listen to it. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

"Dancing on the Wind" is the second solo piano release from Shoshana Michel, following her debut, "Soul Whispers" (2015). The first album is a collection of Shoshana’s arrangements of soothing Jewish songs known as Chabad Nigunim, but "Dancing on the Wind" consists of eleven original piano solos. I thoroughly enjoyed "Soul Whispers," but "Dancing on the Wind" is truly exceptional. The music isn’t flashy, but there is a lot of heart in each note and Shoshana’s expressive performance allows us get to know her better. Her playing style is graceful and confident yet often very tender and sometimes quite dramatic. Shoshana Michel recorded the album at Joe Bongiorno’s Piano Haven Studio on his Shigeru Kawai grand piano, and Bongiorno engineered and mastered the album. The sound quality of the piano is impeccable. Pianists will be happy to know that a companion songbook is on its way.

"Dancing on the Wind" begins with “When Leaves Dance,” a lively and bittersweet piece that has a swirling energy as it dances all over the piano keys. The very romantic “Heather, Roses and Moonlight” gently tugs at the heartstrings as it warms the soul. The title track dances lightly at the upper end of the piano with a delicate but determined energy. “Love Everlasting” begins in a poignant minor key, moves to a happier major key, and back to the minor, expressing a variety of emotions with the modality changes - a very beautiful piece that ends back in the major key (a happy ending!). “A Night of Lights” has some of the recognizable elements of traditional Jewish music, but also sounds like a music box since it is played mostly at the higher end of the piano. “Gently Flows the River Tranquil” is as peaceful as its title suggests. Played at a leisurely tempo this one really soothes the soul. “Wandering” is my favorite piece on the album. Its moderately propulsive left hand energy is infectious as the right hand explores the piano keyboard. I also really like “Dream’s Journey.” With its lively left hand pattern and compelling minor key melody, this one is my favorite to play (I proofed the sheet music book). “Quiet Valley” was written for Thad Fiscella, a fellow pianist/composer “whose music and kindness continue to inspire me.” (quoted from the liner notes). This lovely piece suggests open spaces and unspoiled nature and the peaceful feelings they evoke - a serene closing to an excellent album.

"Dancing on the Wind" has been nominated for Album of the Year on Whisperings Solo Piano Radio, and I’m sure that is just the beginning of the honors for this beautiful album. Very highly recommended!

“Dancing On The Wind” is the latest album release by nationally recognized pianist Shoshana Michel, and is her second neo-classical recording to date. The album is very appropriately titled, and the songs are programmed in a way that flows very smoothly from piece to piece. The overall feel of the music is quite light, melodic, and often dance-like. Although Shoshana is a classically trained pianist, I really wouldn't categorize this recording as being neo-classical. The structure of the pieces and the generalized feeling that one gets when listening to it is one that is fresh, contemporary, and very modern in it's composition and technique. Keeping with the theme of the album, it could be said that “Dancing On The Wind” is truly a “breath of fresh air.” My three picks for this recording are the opening track titled “When Leaves Dance,” track six “A Night Of Lights,” and track eight, “Wandering.” Let's start with the opening track. “When Leaves Dance” begins with a left hand ostinato pattern and a vibrant right hand melody to match it. The chord movement in this piece is really nice, particularly the movement to the major five chord that Shoshana frequently utilizes here. That progression is a really effective move in a minor piece, always demanding my attention when I hear it. This is not a “chordy” piece either. Both the right and left hands are playing melodies and patterns together that create a sort of “swirling” effect in the music, which goes right along with the title of the piece. Visions of autumn leaves falling from trees, and the crisp fall wind blowing piles of them in every which direction are what come to mind here. “A Night Of Lights” is a story piece. It has a fairy tale sort of quality to it, bringing to mind images of old Europe and times which have been long forgotten. It's a piece that celebrates it's simplicity, and makes it into something truly remarkable. Shoshana does an amazing job at bringing so many things to the surface, and using little to do it. We have here a piece that is played for the most part in the mid-high register of the piano, a straightforward left hand pattern, and a strong and uncomplicated melody. In her playing Shoshana brings all of these things to their full potential, creating an intimate mood and a lush surrounding. Think medieval era castles under the moonlight, candles burning and flowers in bloom. That's the vacation you take when listening to this piece. Her touch at the piano has a lot to do with sculpting this mood, along with the composition of the piece itself. Simply lovely, this is probably my favorite piece on the album. My final pick is track eight, “Wandering.” As I've noted Shoshana has a gift at being able to create music and moods to fit the music, then titling and programming them in a way that fits like a glove. This piece is no exception. “Wandering” sounds like a journey taken without a knowable destination, and that journey is a familiar one to all of us. This is a journey of the heart, one that happens inside every person and within every relationship. It's not as confusing as it is uncertain, and the music reflects that beautifully. The melody in the right seems to ask questions to the listener, but the phrasing is often resolved. This creates an experience that is interrogative in nature, but doesn't seem to demand any answers either. It's an intellectual piece that means to have the listener do some self examination, and quiet reflection. And while it's certainly not a musical “warm fuzzy,” “Wandering” is a piece that will engage the listener in a way unlike any of the rest of the tracks on the album. In summary, “Dancing On The Wind” is an album that is generally easy to listen to, with moments of engaged, focused listening. Many musical pictures are painted here, using a wide array of colors and textures, and this speaks to Shoshana's mastery of touch and feel at the piano. I would add to that that the pieces themselves work together to create an album that's really one large piece of work, a mural of sound, if you will. The pieces blend and flow from one to the next, each one unique but clearly a part of the whole, and together they represent the element of wind at it's finest. With the exception of more aggressive musical approaches at the piano, this album would be suitable for just about any listener and I think they would find great value in it. If you're a fan of genle, refreshing solo piano music I strongly recommend it!

'Dancing on the Wind' is the sophomore album from Shoshana Michel, a pianist and composer whose debut recording, 'Soul Whispers', featured a collection of renditions of Chabad Nigunim. Following that album’s critical reception, Shoshana felt she needed to prove herself as more than just a pianist-arranger, but as a composer as well, so she sat down at her piano and began experimenting. After much determination the melodies simply began overflowing, with the outcome of that process resulting in an exquisite collection of eleven original solo piano compositions.

“When Leaves Dance” is a beautiful opener that begins in the higher register, as fluttering piano notes perfectly illustrate that of dancing leaves in the wind. Lower register notes soon join in adding more fluidity and complexity to the composition, as Shoshana’s hands grace the keys with a perfectly poised touch. Possessing a definite classical bent, the composition’s flowingly potent melody immediately captures the listener’s full attention, which is superbly enhanced by the beautiful tone and reverb of the piano. “Heather, Roses and Moonlight” follows next, which is among the album’s more romantic and contemporary pieces, along with “Love Everlasting” and “Wishing for You”. Other compositions seem to conjure images of nature and the countryside, such as the title track, “Dancing on the Wind”. This lovely number is characterized by delicate droplets over a repeating piano loop, effectively bringing to mind that of tiny leaves whirling amidst the air. One of my favorites is “Finding the Light Within”, a somewhat reverent composition that’s feels a bit evocative of Shoshana’s prior arrangements of Chabad Nigunim. Its melodic scale seems to lean towards the exotic in places, as Shoshana moves effortlessly through the registers of this esoteric number. Likewise in this vein is the equally stunning, “A Night of Lights”, a definitively nocturnal piece full of beautiful minor key strokes, which imparts a melody that sounds like it came from another era. “Wandering” is another particular highlight, where lighter sparkling notes shimmer upon a steady undercurrent of constant forward motion, bringing to mind that of traveling a great distance. Winding things down is “Quiet Valley”, a soothing composition that comes in quietly – with its sparser notes and slower stanza perfectly concluding the album.

Shoshana Michel’s keen attention to compositional detail along with her inherent knack for crafting sophisticated melodies left me highly impressed, especially considering that this is her first album of all original material. Masterfully imbuing her compositions with a perfect balancing of robustness with subtleness, she seemingly effortlessly pivots her way through the registers with a continued fluidity and gracefulness. 'Dancing on the Wind' simply leaves no doubt that Shoshana is not only a talented pianist, but a gifted composer as well, proving that she is a definite and determined rising star within the solo piano community!

Fresh from her success with Soul Whispers, Shoshana Michel is back with a delicious brand new offering called Dancing on the Wind and as I write this in mid-autumn, one could say this is quite seasonal.The opening track is a real scene setter; I personally found this an emotional piece to listen to, it’s called When Leaves Dance. The rolling piano and melody creates an autumnal vista for us to watch, the delicate notes played by Michel are like those falling leaves themselves, as they drift down they get caught by the cold north wind and blown along a long lonely dusty road.Shoshana Michel is a very passionate performer and on the next piece called Heather, Roses and Moonlight, you can not only hear that passion, but feel it too. This is a remarkable composition filled full of memories and once more touches the musical heart with the ease of a new sunrise. Note the changes here and the steady and almost cinematic style of construction, which is so very carefully built within this tender arrangement.The title track is next, Dancing on the Wind, the theme is rich and full of colour, and the melody itself really reminds me in parts of the master David Lanz and Spiral Dance. We can listen to this beautiful solo piano piece and through our minds eyes; we can see the falling leaves from a late autumnal breeze, literally dance with the wind itself.Once more the deeply moving segments in this fluent composition really bring forward Michel’s progression as an artist. The melody is outstanding and the power and poise of Love Everlasting is off the scale (no pun intended). The flowing nature of this arrangement is stylish, with a slight musical flavour of the dramatic as well.As we approach the half way marker, we come across a stunning little number called, Finding the Light Within. There is a real shift here in style and performance, and perhaps venturing into a narrative of a struggle towards the right path and ever onwards to the shining light of what’s right. The melody contains a real longing and yearning for peace through many memories of a hard road and one that is finally achieved by the end of the track.Pull back the curtains and look at the sparkling lights at midnight on A Night of Lights. The gentle performance here reminds me of the time as a child; I wandered around my uncle’s vast house and peered through the windows in the early hours to marvel at the stars up above, all wide eyed and full of wonderment. The narrative of this song would have been my youthful soundtrack of that moment.Dear reader and constant listener of stylish music, you’re about to listen to a piece called Gently Flows the River Tranquil. The never ending movement of the river is beautifully drawn here by the artist, who has created a stunning and vast wonderland of musical art in this track. We can see the forest, we can see the curve at the bend of the river and we can watch the natural flow of life in what has to be one of the most graphic pieces Michel has ever produced.From the bend in the river, we continue our Wandering. The sun dapples the brown leaves and creates a warm halo of a golden yellow across our view. The tone here has that distinct motif of movement, at a steady but onward tempo; Michel’s ever present autumn wind blows all around us as we go. This piece has great feeling and a wonderful emotive quality about it, dusted with a slight layer of mystery too.As we move inexorably to the end of the release we come across a lovely composition called Wishing for You. This is so gentle and loving, one can feel the warmth of the piece with ease, the performance is so filled with love too, and there is a real sense of honesty throughout this track that creates such a positive tender energy.The last but one pathway through Shoshana Michel’s latest collection of quality tunes is now right in front of us and as we take that musical road, we can listen to the penultimate piece called Dream’s Journey. A fast flowing river of a track that has a pace of determination about its construction, I adored the repeating motif here.There can be no better way to reflect on something quite beautiful, like this album for instance, than to sit atop of a hill and gaze down at the wonderful green view of the valley below. There is an almost Celtic lilt about this piece, but its construction and manifestation has a real reflective nature about it. Quiet Valley is indeed the perfect ending arrangement.Shoshana Michel has raised the bar and gone the extra mile by bringing us the ever eager listener of wonderful music, this collection of tender songs that we now know as Dancing on the Wind. This album is sometimes emotive, certainly reflective, at times emotional and yearning, and yes, simply put this album has something for everyone, whether you’re a fan of the genre of solo piano, or just a true lover of quality music, this most certainly is for you.

Fresh from her success with Soul Whispers, Shoshana Michel is back with a delicious brand new offering called Dancing on the Wind and as I write this in mid-autumn, one could say this is quite seasonal.The opening track is a real scene setter; I personally found this an emotional piece to listen to, it’s called When Leaves Dance. The rolling piano and melody creates an autumnal vista for us to watch, the delicate notes played by Michel are like those falling leaves themselves, as they drift down they get caught by the cold north wind and blown along a long lonely dusty road.Shoshana Michel is a very passionate performer and on the next piece called Heather, Roses and Moonlight, you can not only hear that passion, but feel it too. This is a remarkable composition filled full of memories and once more touches the musical heart with the ease of a new sunrise. Note the changes here and the steady and almost cinematic style of construction, which is so very carefully built within this tender arrangement.The title track is next, Dancing on the Wind, the theme is rich and full of colour, and the melody itself really reminds me in parts of the master David Lanz and Spiral Dance. We can listen to this beautiful solo piano piece and through our minds eyes; we can see the falling leaves from a late autumnal breeze, literally dance with the wind itself.Once more the deeply moving segments in this fluent composition really bring forward Michel’s progression as an artist. The melody is outstanding and the power and poise of Love Everlasting is off the scale (no pun intended). The flowing nature of this arrangement is stylish, with a slight musical flavour of the dramatic as well.As we approach the half way marker, we come across a stunning little number called, Finding the Light Within. There is a real shift here in style and performance, and perhaps venturing into a narrative of a struggle towards the right path and ever onwards to the shining light of what’s right. The melody contains a real longing and yearning for peace through many memories of a hard road and one that is finally achieved by the end of the track.Pull back the curtains and look at the sparkling lights at midnight on A Night of Lights. The gentle performance here reminds me of the time as a child; I wandered around my uncle’s vast house and peered through the windows in the early hours to marvel at the stars up above, all wide eyed and full of wonderment. The narrative of this song would have been my youthful soundtrack of that moment.Dear reader and constant listener of stylish music, you’re about to listen to a piece called Gently Flows the River Tranquil. The never ending movement of the river is beautifully drawn here by the artist, who has created a stunning and vast wonderland of musical art in this track. We can see the forest, we can see the curve at the bend of the river and we can watch the natural flow of life in what has to be one of the most graphic pieces Michel has ever produced.From the bend in the river, we continue our Wandering. The sun dapples the brown leaves and creates a warm halo of a golden yellow across our view. The tone here has that distinct motif of movement, at a steady but onward tempo; Michel’s ever present autumn wind blows all around us as we go. This piece has great feeling and a wonderful emotive quality about it, dusted with a slight layer of mystery too.As we move inexorably to the end of the release we come across a lovely composition called Wishing for You. This is so gentle and loving, one can feel the warmth of the piece with ease, the performance is so filled with love too, and there is a real sense of honesty throughout this track that creates such a positive tender energy.The last but one pathway through Shoshana Michel’s latest collection of quality tunes is now right in front of us and as we take that musical road, we can listen to the penultimate piece called Dream’s Journey. A fast flowing river of a track that has a pace of determination about its construction, I adored the repeating motif here.There can be no better way to reflect on something quite beautiful, like this album for instance, than to sit atop of a hill and gaze down at the wonderful green view of the valley below. There is an almost Celtic lilt about this piece, but its construction and manifestation has a real reflective nature about it. Quiet Valley is indeed the perfect ending arrangement.Shoshana Michel has raised the bar and gone the extra mile by bringing us the ever eager listener of wonderful music, this collection of tender songs that we now know as Dancing on the Wind. This album is sometimes emotive, certainly reflective, at times emotional and yearning, and yes, simply put this album has something for everyone, whether you’re a fan of the genre of solo piano, or just a true lover of quality music, this most certainly is for you.